


Lunar New Years

by emeralddrop, I_Write_Big, JessicaJaymeBell, krzed, mimosaeyes, panda013 (Amiria_Raven), projectml



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Gen, Project: Lunar New Years, lunar new years, make sure to check out the art, this had a lot of people working on it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-06 10:24:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15192755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emeralddrop/pseuds/emeralddrop, https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Write_Big/pseuds/I_Write_Big, https://archiveofourown.org/users/JessicaJaymeBell/pseuds/JessicaJaymeBell, https://archiveofourown.org/users/krzed/pseuds/krzed, https://archiveofourown.org/users/mimosaeyes/pseuds/mimosaeyes, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amiria_Raven/pseuds/panda013, https://archiveofourown.org/users/projectml/pseuds/projectml
Summary: Marinette and Adrien meet up at a Lunar New Years Festival and Master Fu tells them a story of a time long past.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This work is part of Project: Miraculous Ladybug's Project: Lunar New Years, 2018.
> 
> Find Chapter 1's comic here: http://project-ml.tumblr.com/post/170954527715/project-lunar-new-years-2018-chapter-one
> 
> Chapter 1 Creators  
> Author  
> Panda013 - http://panda013.tumblr.com
> 
> Beta  
> krzed - http://krzed.tumblr.com

“Marinette, help your mom with some of the other boxes while I set this up,” Tom said, messing with the portable appliances they’d brought with them.

Marinette yawned but nodded, stretching. She turned her back on her dad, who began to tinker with connecting the propane tanks to the burners, and instead walked to the bakery’s van to help her mother unload boxes of ingredients for the day.

It was about six in the morning, and up and down the street vendors of all persuasions were setting up shop. Next to the Dupain-Cheng’s stand, where they’d be making some various sweets and the much-coveted mooncakes, was a stand for tea. They must have arrived even earlier than Marinette’s family, because they were putting the finishing touches of decoration on their stand—vibrant red drapery and a few paper lanterns. It was an older couple who smiled at Marinette when they met her eyes, and she smiled back, stifling another yawn.

She glanced further down the street and the abundance of red and paper lanterns was astounding. Marinette didn’t remember seeing so much of either thing in her entire life.

Scratch that. There’d been plenty of red costumes on Halloween last year, and plenty of red and black at the themed school dance that Chloe had fussed and fought for, and that wasn’t something she was prepared to think about just yet.

Just as the thoughts of all the Ladybug and Chat Noir themed events she’d been to in the last couple of years crossed her mind, she spotted another stand, about six down the row, that was hanging up their own drapes. They were red, as expected, but they had black polka dots, and it didn’t take a genius to recognize the idea. Marinette’s cheeks flushed red despite herself, and she turned to focus on hauling boxes before her parents noticed her distraction.

The Lunar New Year Festival was only a short two days here as opposed to the full fifteen days that it lasted in China, but Marinette had a feeling it would be a long two days. After all, her parents had been up early to prep the bakery, and then they’d roused her to come to the festival to help her mother. Tom had to return to the bakery after set up, since they’d opted to keep it open at least for today. Marinette wasn’t a morning person, though, so it was going to be rough.

At least she’d get to eat some mooncakes?

“Just put the flour here, Marinette,” Sabine’s voice interrupted her thoughts, and she looked to the cabinet that her mother was pointing out. Marinette would never understand how people had designed such small, portable kitchens for things like street festivals, but she decided that now wasn’t the right time to question that. Her mother laughed a little, and then stepped forward to press a kiss to Marinette’s temple. “I know you’re still tired, sweetie, but thank you for coming to help me today.”

Marinette couldn’t help but smile back at her mother. “It’s nothing, Mom. I’m happy to be here.”

She stifled another yawn and her mother laughed, propelling her gently back to the van. “If you say so, Marinette. Now help me with the last couple of boxes, and then you can change.”

Marinette blinked. “Change?”

“Your cheongsam,” Sabine gestured to the Chinese outfit still hanging in the back of the van. The red top was lined with gold and had a delicate golden floral design near the hem, and she had completely forgotten about it and the matching red capris. Not only that…but wearing nice clothes seemed kind of impractical for a food stand.

“How am I supposed to help you cook if I’m wearing that?” she asked, frowning.

“I’ll be doing most of the cooking. You’ll just be helping me out by talking to the customers, like you do when you work in the bakery,” Sabine laughed, pressing another kiss to Marinette’s cheek. “Don’t worry, dear. It will look great on you.”

“Mom!” Marinette whined, her cheeks heating up. “I didn’t say anything about that!”

Tom had finished hooking everything up and laughed, reaching out to take the box she was carrying from her and put it on the counter. “You didn’t have to. A mother just  _ knows _ .”

She groaned.

The rest of setup went without a hitch, and before Tom left to go back to the bakery, Sabine insisted that Marinette change so he could see her, so she found the nearest open store and borrowed their bathroom begrudgingly. She would much rather wear some capris and a red shirt, like her mother, but she just couldn’t say no. Apparently, this outfit had belonged to Sabine when she was younger, and she always liked it when Marinette wore her old traditional clothes.

Tom made Sabine and Marinette stand side by side when she emerged and used his cell phone to take several pictures, beaming and complimenting them both, before he had to get back. Soon enough, however, Tom was bidding them good luck. He gave them both a bone crushing hug and kissed his wife, pecking his daughter on the cheek as he made his way back to the van, and then he left to open the bakery for the day.

All that was left, in the fifteen minutes before the official “opening” of the festival, was to hang the paper lanterns from either corner of their stand and twine the red streamers around the poles that held the red awning up, which Sabine left to Marinette while she prepared the first batch of snacks. The first cakes went to the older couple next to them in exchange for some nice hot tea, and then people started trickling down the street.

Business was slow to start the morning, but around noon there was an increase in foot traffic through the area. Alya and her family stopped by during the busiest part, so Marinette couldn’t slip away to talk for a minute, but Alya promised to text her later. She found herself wishing that her dress had pockets.

As the lunch rush died down a little and people became more entranced with the merchandise booths than the food ones, Marinette ended up selling some snacks to Alix and her brother and, just a few minutes later, to Max and his family. She hadn’t expected to see her classmates around, but she wouldn’t have been surprised if Alya had told them to stop by. She was always like that.

At about one in the afternoon, a familiar blonde stopped by.

“…Marinette?”

* * *

When Adrien had checked his email, he hadn’t expected to see a message from his Chinese tutor. The man was currently overseas for a business meeting of some sort, much to Gabriel Agreste’s chagrin, but he was the most competent man for the job so he had not been replaced. Adrien had been blessed with two weeks of free time for an hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and while that wasn’t much, it was still a pleasant reprieve.

The email, however, stated that he had already emailed Gabriel Agreste and received permission—with a screenshot so Adrien would believe it, the clever man—for Adrien to go to the New Year Festival that had started that morning. His assignment was to experience the festival, try some traditional Chinese foods, and to try to find someone to hold a conversation with in Chinese, just so he had some practical experience in the language. 

It might be an assignment, technically speaking, but it was still one that allowed him a bit of time to relax.

He kind of felt out of place as he wandered through the stalls. He was wearing his favorite outfit, which didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the street. Red drapery there, a red sign here, and an abundance of red paper lanterns. Everyone in the spirit of the festival was wearing red of some sort, and there were even several booths with Ladybug print. He wondered if she had seen any of this yet and really thought about taking a picture to show her but fought down the urge. 

And then he saw a familiar duo at a booth, selling sweets and mooncakes. When he neared, he asked slowly, “…Marinette?”

She nearly fumbled the pastry she was serving, and then apologized to the older gentleman, who laughed and thanked her before slipping away with his treat. She turned to him then and, cheeks faintly pink, greeted, “Adrien! Hi! I didn’t expect to see you here!”

“I didn’t expect to be here,” he laughed a little, peering through the display at some of the snacks. “What are you guys doing here? This looks good!”

“Oh, we’re—”

“Oh, Adrien!” Sabine deposited a new batch in the display, beaming at him. “It’s so good to see you! You know, I was just thinking that it was about time for Marinette to take a break. Why don’t you two walk around for a while together?”

“Mom, what about the stand?” Marinette frowned a little, concerned.

“Oh, don’t worry about it. The lunch rush is over and it should be pretty quiet. What do you say, Adrien?”

“It’s fine with me,” Adrien smiled back at her. “As long as Marinette doesn’t mind, anyway.”

Sabine smiled again, wiping her hands off and sliding a few pastries into a bag. She pushed them into her daughter’s hands. “You deserve a break after all of that, dear,” she said, lightly pushing her from the stand. “These are for you two to share—don’t eat them all at once!”

Marinette reached back for the little handbag that held her phone and wallet and told her mother, “Don’t be afraid to call if you need me to come back, okay?”

“Of course not,” Sabine gestured to the corner where Marinette knew her purse rested. “If I need you to come back, I’ll ask you to. Now go explore a little, and enjoy the festival, the both of you!”

“Thank you!” Adrien smiled.

“Thanks, Mom,” Marinette leaned forward to peck her mother on the cheek. “I’ll be back later, then!”

Her mother waved at the two of them, then slid back to her place in the stand, tending to the pastries that were in progress. The two teens shared a look and then Adrien gestured for them to start walking, so they did. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work is part of Project: Miraculous Ladybug's Project: Lunar New Years, 2018.
> 
> Find Chapter 2's comic here: http://project-ml.tumblr.com/post/170986937836/project-lunar-new-years-2018-chapter-two
> 
> Chapter 2 Creators  
> Author  
> JessicaJaymeBell - http://jezzicabell.tumblr.com
> 
> Beta  
> Mimosaeyes - http://mimosaeyes.tumblr.com

If Marinette weren’t so sure that she’d always be able to spot Adrien’s halo of golden hair in a crowd, she would have been more worried about losing him among all the other people wearing red. Which was the majority of the people.    
  
“There’s so much red everywhere, I can hardly see where one stall ends and the other starts,” Adrien commented.    
  
Marinette took a deep breath, determined not to stutter for once, and turned to make a clever and engaging reply. Before she could utter anything embarrassing, as she knew she would anyway, one child ran around a corner and bumped straight into her and caused her to stumble backwards with a startled oomph. The child wasn’t as lucky and fell back onto her bottom, dropping the doll in her hands along with two small red envelopes.    
  
Marinette quickly crouched to help the young girl.   
  
“I’m very sorry,” the child said, looking a little upset. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”   
  
“That’s okay little one,” Marinette said gently, picking up the fallen toy and handing it back. “As long as we’re more careful next time. Now I believe these are yours?”   
  
Marinette held out the two dropped envelopes, and the girl took them back with both hands, her toy tucked securely under her arm.   
  
“Of course, and thank you!”    
  
The child beamed at Marinette before rushing back off into the crowd.    
  
Marinette giggled before standing up again.    
  
“You’re very good with kids,” Adrien commented, startling Marinette a fair bit.   
  
“Oh well, I kid with babysit… babysit a kid. Sorry, I got a little twisted there,” Marinette says, blushing and chuckling half-heartedly. “Manon is always a handful, but when you’ve dealt with that troublemaker, you’re prepared for kids. You’re prepared for looking after kids, that is.”   
  
Marinette wasn’t sure if it was the red cheongsam that gave her the ability to not completely muddle her words, too much anyway, but she was thankful. Idly she wondered if she should wear red clothes more often, but she quickly dismissed the idea before changing the topic.    
  
“So what brings the festival out to you, I mean brings you out to the festival?” Marinette tries politely, feeling her face heat up again as her words got twisted.   
  
“My Chinese tutor instructed me to come out and practice my Chinese,” Adrien replied with a kind smile. “He’s out of the country on business, so he expects me to immerse myself in the culture.”   
  
“Oh well, it’s a good thing you came out here then,” Marinette replied. “Not that it’s a good thing that this is just more work for you but the festival is good, and the dances are fun, and the food is good and—” Marinette cut herself off, realising that she had started rambling. So not cool.   
  
“So you’ve been to these festivals before? That’s so cool. Though your uncle was a Chinese chef, so I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.”   
  
Marinette could’ve died happy at that moment. Adrien thought she was cool and even remembered that time with her uncle and his soup.    
  
“Oh!” Marinette exclaimed, suddenly remembering the bag of pastries her mother had packed. “Would you like a pastry? We’ve been making heaps at the bakery in preparation. You can’t have Chinese New Year without the proper goodies.”   
  
“I would be honoured to be a part of this tradition. How much are they?”   
  
“How much? No no, no money just try them,” Marinette said in a rush. Was she so awkward that he believed she would try to sell them? That wasn’t a happy thought. Pushing it aside, she watched as Adrien bit into a Sugar Ring. She bit her lip, hoping he would like the sweet treat.   
  
“These are amazing Marinette!” he exclaims after a moment, face lighting up.   
  
Slightly shocked at the quick response, Marinette almost stuttered again.   
  
“They’re Sugar Rings, although Maman says that in Chinese they are called tánghuán.”   
  
“Tánghuán,” he repeats. “These are delicious.”   
  
Marinette giggles.    
  
“They are understandably well liked by children,” she explains happily. “They’re eaten during these festivities to represent togetherness and sweetness.”   
  
Marinette held out another sugar ring that Adrien happily took and nibbled on.   
  
“These are Sesame Seed Balls, or máqiú, they represent fullness,” she continues pulling out a pastry for herself. “Not as sweet as the sugar rings. But still delicious. Would you like to try one?”   
  
“Definitely?” Adrien responded, accepting the goody offered to him. Biting down on the goody Adrien made another amazed face before turning to Marinette.   
  
“Honestly Marinette, these are amazing. I would probably live in a bakery if I got food like this all the time.”   
  
Internally Marinette felt like she was shutting down and held in a scream, instead turning to look at the festival so that Adrien wouldn’t see her flushed face. Where was Alya to slap some sense into her when she was needed?   
  
The conversation turned quiet as the two continued to munch on their snacks.    
  
“How did Chinese New Year start?” Adrien asked.   
  
Marinette was slightly thrown by the question. She paused to consider it.   
  
“Well, I know why we have certain traditions? Like we wear red and have fireworks and stuff because it wards off the bad spirits.”   
  
“Yeah, there is a heap of traditions, my tutor told me about a lot of them, but when did they start? Why did they start?”   
  
Marinette pondered it for a moment, thinking over the many traditions she knew of, before realising she had no idea.   
  
“Huh, that is curious. I’m not too sure…”   
  
Adrien pouted slightly before lighting up with an idea. Pulling his phone out he flashed her a brilliant smile and unlocked it to see if he could find out the answer to his question.   
  
“Now now, no need for any fancy technology to find the answers you seek, as useful as it sometimes is.”   
  
Marinette jumped when a vaguely familiar voice came from her left, and then again when she felt an arm on her right. With a quick glance, she realised that Adrien had jumped as well and reached out to her in the process. Instead of becoming a puddle on the spot Marinette forced her attention back to her left where a fairly familiar face was standing at the entrance to a story-telling booth. The booth was covered with red drapes, and Marinette eyes various miraculous patterns that were woven into the design of the fabric.    
  
“Master Fu?” she questions.   
  
“Yes, yes, you must both come visit my booth, and I will tell you a tale. The tale from which the traditions stem. Knowledge can be a powerful tool. Come inside."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work is part of Project: Miraculous Ladybug's Project: Lunar New Years, 2018.
> 
> Find Chapter 3's comic here: http://project-ml.tumblr.com/post/171026577428/project-lunar-new-years-2018-chapter-three
> 
> Chapter 3 Creators  
> Author  
> Panda013 - http://panda013.tumblr.com/
> 
> Beta  
> I_Write_Big - http://pateatsaburger.tumblr.com/

Marinette and Adrien shared a glance, but obliged Master Fu, settling into the cushions under his canopy. As they got comfortable, Marinette commented on some of the embroidery on various cushions, including a hanging tapestry that was at the rear of the area.

“Is that…Ladybug?” she asked curiously, gesturing. Adrien followed her hand and saw the classical Chinese style and cloaked and armored person standing proud before another human shrouded in darker colors. The one that almost seemed like Ladybug was offering a hand to the other, which the other had taken. It was…interesting, to say the least, but Adrien failed to see what it had to do with the origins of the Lunar New Year Festival.

Instead of giving a straight answer, Master Fu just smiled and said, “It will all be explained in due time, Miss Dupain-Cheng. And it all begins with a foolish creature known as Nian.”

Marinette turned her full attention to Master Fu at the somewhat familiar name. “Nian was the monster, right?”

“Some say that, but the truth is very, very different,” his tone was somber. “Long ago in China, there was a man called Nian.”

_ Nian had lived a rough life and had fallen on hard times. Food was scarce, well-paying work was hard to come by, and he had a reputation for ill luck. Times were especially rough, and this was when he was approached by a black cat.  _

_ “Nian,” the cat spoke, “I can give you the power to change your fate.”  _

_ As a man with nothing, Nian had little to lose and much, much more to gain. He was afraid, of course, because making a deal with a spirit could turn out very poorly. But Nian was only human, and he was hungry.  _

_ Nian struck a bargain with the black cat.  _

_ At first, he was careful with when and where he used his power. With the deal, he had gained powers of sight in the dark, hearing better than that of the average person, and even acquired some feline tendencies, but with these powers also came the dark one. _

_ Nian had the power of destruction at his fingertips. _

_ He was terrified of this power. It ate away at trees and plants and could even make stone and steel crumble before him. But with time came confidence; he had been given these powers for a reason. The cat had chosen him, of all people, so he must have the strength to wield this magnificent power. _

_ Eventually, this confidence turned into a desire for more power, and this desire allowed the darkness to fall over him. _

_ Nian was changing, falling prey to this misfortune. He was tired of being poor, exhausted, and hungry, so he started to take. At first, he fell to petty thievery, but the thrill and the chase urged him to new heights. He started to kill livestock and take the meat for himself. He would hunger no more, not when he had this power. _

_ There came a day when the only village he had ever known banished him. He fell into a rage; why? How? It was the only place he knew, the only home he’d ever had, and they dismissed him. But he left an exile, as they demanded, leaving behind chaos in his wake. He poisoned the crops with a single pass of his finger, slipping off into the forests before they could notice and chase him down. _

_ It was there that he discovered why. _

_ Nian did not recognize himself. When he caught sight of himself in the stream, he understood why. His visage hardly bore any resemblance to the man he once was; Nian had the face of a lion, and when he dug his fingers into the soil, he noticed that they were tipped with claws. He scrambled back, and he realized that he was walking and had been walking on all fours, though he had no idea how long he had done so. _

_ He ran. Nian ran far away from the village he had known, and far away from the face that haunted him in the stream. And eventually, he ran away from the memories of humanity that remained in his mind, too. _

_ Livestock in the countryside was not enough for Nian. With time, he had returned to his old village, though he did not remember why it drew his ire or how he knew it by then. All he knew was that killing their animals was not enough to satisfy his hunger or his anger. Scaring their children and chasing them through the forest tided him over, for a time, but the guards they began to post prevented his fun and only fueled his rage. _

_ They tried to kill him, but they always failed. _

_ One night a year, Nian would slip into the village. He would prowl the streets and attack those who wandered around outside, or growl at locked doors. The villagers started to recognize his pattern, and they bolted their doors. Food was left outside, as if they believed giving up their food to Nian would convince him to leave them alone. And for a few years, it did. That one night a year was his, and he would do as he pleased in the streets. _

_ The villagers feared him, and Nian reveled in this. _

_ As the years passed, Nian grew bolder. If an offering left outside didn’t satisfy him, he would scratch at the door, allowing a trail of darkness to eat away at the wood. It was his warning, and the only warning they would get: if they didn’t provide an ample offering the following year, Nian would not be lenient. _

_ But there came a year that no food awaited him. There were no guards posted, and he could sense no one residing in the village. He grew angry. Nian spent the night searching and searching, destroying doors to enter homes and sniff out the villagers, to no avail. When the light started to streak across the sky, Nian was forced to leave empty-handed and with an empty stomach. In his rage, he left destruction in his wake and left disease in the crops. And then he was left to wait, prowling the countryside and preparing for the next year. And when it came, he was met with the same result—an empty village, empty pantries, and missing livestock. It was the same for the next several years, and each time his ire only grew. The destruction he left in his wake increased with each passing year. _

_ Word began to spread, and soon the entire countryside knew of the beast that wreaked havoc in the small village. The people were sturdy and stubborn, and even if they lived in fear of that one night a year, that their refuge in the mountains would eventually be discovered, they still remained. _

_ This drew a brave young warrior to town. She wore the guise of an old man, and she came when the village was empty. The villagers had already escaped to the mountains in preparation for Nian’s yearly arrival, but this suited her. _

_ With her cloak and her unnecessary cane, she waited, determined to face down the creature that struck terror in the hearts of men. _

“Now, my children, it’s time for a break,” Master Fu unraveled the storytelling air, rolling his shoulders with a smile. “I need to stretch my old bones for a moment, so go. Grab a small snack and some tea, and when you come back, we will continue discussing the origins of the festival.”

“Master Fu!” Marinette and Adrien protested in unison. Adrien caught himself, but Marinette forged onwards. “Master Fu, you can’t just take a break here! What about Ch—Nian? And the person that’s disguised as an old man? I still don’t see how this is the origin of the Lunar New Year Festival!”

“All in good time,” Master Fu said sagely, stepping forward to pat her on the head. With a gentle smile he repeated, “The two of you should go find something to eat and some tea. We’ll meet back here in ten minutes to finish the tale.”

Marinette pouted, but Adrien sighed, pushing himself to his feet and bowing politely. He said something softly in Chinese that included a thank you, as far as Marinette could tell, and then turned to her. “I’ve been wanting to try tangyuan and I heard there’s probably some here…somewhere. Want to help me find it before we have to come back?”

He had to do  _ something _ to keep his mind off of everything. The way that Plagg had curled up in his pocket, as close to a fetal position as he could get, was only lending validity to the suspicions that Adrien had about Nian and a deal with a certain black cat kwami.

He seemed a little off to her, so Marinette wondered if he had picked up the same idea as she had, about Nian being like Chat Noir. But Adrien smiled at her as if nothing was wrong, despite how pale he looked, and she let her shoulders drop, sighing. 

“Alright,” she smiled at him. “Let’s go!”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work is part of Project: Miraculous Ladybug's Project: Lunar New Years, 2018.
> 
> Find Chapter 4's comic here: http://project-ml.tumblr.com/post/171066394182/project-lunar-new-years-2018-chapter-four
> 
> Chapter 4's Creators  
> Author  
> krzed - http://krzed.tumblr.com/
> 
> Beta  
> Robin

Marinette and Adrien soon returned to Master Fu, having had their fill of tangyuan and tea. Fu sat back down, smiling as Adrien attempted to help teach Marinette to say ‘thank you’ in Chinese.

He stroked his beard and pondered, “Now, where was I? Ah, yes. The mysterious stranger, approaching the village just before the beast would descend upon it once again…”

* * *

Many were wary of the stranger who insisted on hiding his face, but after the first time that he effortlessly turned away the beast with little more than a spark and some black powder, the villagers came to trust him. The stranger explained that the beast only feared three things: fire, loud noises, and the color red. He then taught them how to properly mix saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur together to create the black powder he used against the creature. One of the villagers had the idea of putting the powder in bamboo tubes and using twisted threads to ignite it. The villagers and the stranger used these ‘firecrackers’ to keep the beast at bay for several years, but two weeks before the beast’s next coming, the stranger asked the villagers to stand down, and allow him to face the beast alone.

The villagers were, of course, worried for the stranger, but most were not surprised by his odd behavior. A handful of villagers had witnessed him sneak sweets into his cloak, but never saw him eat them. Several more had heard him speaking to himself in hushed tones when he believed no one was listening. Asking about the forces of chaos and destruction. Stranger still was the voice that responded, high pitched, speaking in an older form of Chinese that few understood and even fewer spoke.

_ Fu slants his eyes to Marinette as he tells this part of the tale, as though a tiny voice with an appetite for sweets would have some meaning to her _ .

It was the dawn of the new year, and the villagers could hear the guttural roar of the beast as it descended from its den, hungry and angry. Though the stranger asked the villagers to leave him be, many of the fighting-age men stood by with weapons and firecrackers ready, should the stranger’s plan-- whatever it was --fail.

Unbeknownst to the villagers, the stranger had been watching the creature, learning from it. For he knew this creature was not a monster, but a cursed human, plagued by otherworldly forces and powers he did not know how to control. Thanks to the voice he spoke to at night, he knew exactly how to put a stop to the beast once and for all.

The beast crashed through the edge of the forest, its acidic green eyes cut left and right, no doubt searching for the villagers that had denied it a proper meal for the past few years. But it only found the stranger. That damnable man who stood between him and the small comfort of food year after year. Rage boiled up inside it, making it forget its hunger for but a moment, and it charged, claws digging into the dirt as it pulled itself closer and closer to its mortal enemy.

The stranger flung out a string of firecrackers, the wick sparking as it curved through the air, but while the stranger had been watching the beast over the years, so too had the creature been learning from the stranger. It swiped its claws, a strange wave of blackness shooting from them, and knocked the firecrackers from the air. The bundle landed behind the stranger, its wick dowsed. It did not slow in its charge, black mane rippling in the wind, as it bore down on the stranger. He barely dodged out of the way when the beast leapt, another swipe from the beast tearing away his cloak to reveal...

A woman. She wore a bright red sleeveless gi and red pants that stopped at mid shin, both coated with black spots, and a red mask across her eyes. Hanging from her waist on a thin cord was a strange red disc with the same black spots

_ Marinette’s brow furrows, the word ‘Ladybug’ forming on her lips, but she does not speak it. Does that mean...the beast is the black cat? The Chat Noir of that time? _

The beast turned to face his enemy and instantly recoiled at her red garb. The woman pulled the disc from her hip and swung it in a tight circle, faster and faster until it made a whistling sound that burrowed into the beast’s skull. It dropped its head to the ground and covered its ears with its paws, whining and whimpering.

One of the braver, or perhaps more foolish, of the villagers took this opportunity to charge forward with a pitchfork raised, but the beast had not fully dropped its guard. It swung its tail and knocked the villager off his feet, then turned his gaze down to the man. It licked its fangs, deciding that the stranger could wait until it had sated its hunger. It lunged forward, mouth wide and fangs gleaming.

At that moment, the woman threw her strange weapon into the sky and spoke more of the old Chinese. The weapon flashed a brilliant red and from it dropped a small stone, which she caught and immediately threw at the villager’s pitchfork. The stone scraped along the metal and produced a shower of sparks that landed on the nearby firecrackers, setting them off and stunning the beast. The woman pulled her weapon back to her hand and cast it at the beast, wrapping the cord around its legs and pulling it off its feet.

Several of the villagers cheered, for while they had previously succeeded in driving the beast away, they had never before captured it. They charged forward, weapons raised, but the woman held up a hand and wordlessly stilled the mob. She slowly strode toward the restrained beast, gathering the slack on her weapon as she went. She knelt beside the creature and rested a hand against its cheek, jerking back only slightly when it snapped at her. She spoke in that same old Chinese, and one of the villagers present that day, who could actually understand the ancient tongue, wrote down what she heard.

“You are not a monster,” the woman said. “I know these people believe that, and I know you believe that, but you are not. You are cursed. Cursed with a power you do not understand, a power that you fear. And it is that fear that has made you what you are.” She lifted her hand to the red studs affixed in her ears. “I know about having power and responsibility forced upon you, but I have learned how to channel and control it.” She dug into a small bag at her side and pulled from it a silver ring. “I can show you how to control your power, how to cope with this grand destiny. But only if you will allow me.”

The beast’s gaze softened, became almost...human. The villagers present could not believe the woman hadn’t killed the beast outright, and several of them demanded that she slay it. She ignored them, and when the beast nodded, she smiled and slipped the silver ring on one of his slender fingers.

Immediately, the beast roared as the ring glowed a brilliant green and seemed to pull the inky blackness of its fur into it. It’s feline features lessened, became more humanoid, and the horn on its head receded into its skull. Just when the figure seemed to resemble less a black cat-beast and more of a naked human, green light flashed around the form and left it clothed in a similar manner to the woman.

He-- for the villagers could now see the creature was in fact male-- wore a solid black gi and pants, tabi boots, and a black mask on his face, similar to the woman’s. Atop his head rested a second black mask shaped like a cat’s face. About his waist was tied a black sash with the slack hanging from the back much like a tail.

The man gazed down at his hands. How long had it been since they weren’t covered in black fur. Since they were _ his _ ? He looked up at the woman, who was now smiling at him, and blushed. She took his hands in hers and gently squeezed.

“You may call me Xingyun,” she said. “What might I call you...partner?”  
  
The man’s blush deepened, and he managed to squawk out his response. “Nian.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work is part of Project: Miraculous Ladybug's Project: Lunar New Years, 2018.
> 
> Find Chapter 5's comic here: http://project-ml.tumblr.com/post/171610984256/project-lunar-new-years-2018-chapter-five-final
> 
> Chapter 5's Creators  
> Author  
> JessicaJaymeBell - http://jezzicabell.tumblr.com/
> 
> Beta  
> Panda013 - http://panda013.tumblr.com/

“I knew Ladybug could be found in Egyptian mythology,” Marinette commented, “but I never knew she was in the beginning of Chinese mythology, too.”

“Who is to say that Ladybug cannot be found elsewhere? I am sure there are stories of their history that even I do not know,” Master Fu replied.

“Thank you for the story,” Adrien said with a kind smile.

“It was my pleasure. Knowing our history is important,” he said, standing up with the help of his cane. “Now if you wait just a moment before you both go rushing off, I think I may have something for you.”

As he disappeared into the second room of the tent, the two teenagers glanced at each other. 

“That was such an interesting tale. Ladybug turned out to be just the person to balance out Chat Noir,” Adrien commented.

“Yes, and just as Ladybug is the balance to Chat Noir,” Master Fu commented as he emerged from the back room with something draped over his arm, “Chat Noir is the balance to Ladybug; yin and yang.”

The two teenagers blushed at the implications as their minds flashed to their partners for a moment. Marinette shook herself out of it quickly, sneaking a glance at Adrien before returning her attention to Master Fu. 

Master Fu chuckled lightly before unfolding the fabric over his arm. 

“Now this old jacket was given to me many a year ago, and I do believe you’ll put it to much better use,” he said to Adrien. “Sate an old man’s curiosity and try it on, would you?”

Adrien blinked at the offered jacket, a little bewildered, before gingerly accepting the garment and carefully shrugging it on. Adrien was amazed at how smooth the silky red fabric felt and while doing up the buttons on the front he was amazed at how well the jacket fit. Of course, most of his clothes were fitted, but this jacket hadn’t been tailored to him yet it still  _ seamed  _ like it was. Adrien held back the chuckle at his own pun. Feeling rather giddy at receiving such a wonderful gift, he held out his arms after doing up the last button.

“Well, how does it look?” he asked with a wide grin.

Poor Marinette was at loss for words.

“It looks like you both match now,” Master Fu commented with a pleased smile.    
The kids blushed not making eye contact.   
“You should go and enjoy the rest of the festivities now,” Master Fu insisted, making shooing motions at the two.

Adrien nodded and smiled, turning and offering his arm to Marinette.   
“Shall we depart, Marinette?”

Marinette paused, feeling an odd sense of deja vu. She reached out to take the offer before reaching out and grabbing his hand instead, taking Adrien by surprise.

She nodded before turning to Master Fu once more.    
“Thank you again for the story,” she said before dragging Adrien out of the tent. 

Adrien waved on his way out, also giving his thanks. 

“An intriguing pair, Master.”

“Yes indeed, Wayzz. A pair to watch. I’m sure they’ll do great things.”

* * *

“Marinette, look, they’re selling paper lanterns over there, let’s go have a look!”

It was nearing the end of the festival day and Marinette was finally getting used to this very excitable Adrien.

“Of course, of course, slow down!” Marinette laughed as she was dragged to the paper lantern display. There were lanterns of all different shapes and sizes. Some Lanterns were to float on water and some for floating in the sky or hanging on strings. Red and gold were predominant but there were a few colourful ones for the young children. 

“We should get one to send out,” Adrien suggested.

“Sure,” Marinette agreed as she peered at the wide selection of lanterns in front of them. “There are a lot to choose from, though! Which one do you want?”

Adrien thought for a moment, looking at the display, before grinning and pointing at a particular design. It looked like it was selling really well, and Marinette could see why when she spotted the polka dots.

“How about this one?” Adrien asked, picking it up for a closer look. Marinette leaned over his arm and saw that it wasn’t just a Ladybug lantern, as she had kind of feared. It was red with black dots, but it also apparently had two black ears and a tail. She found herself smiling.

“How much is it?” she asked, reaching for her money. “We can split it.”

“No, it’s my treat!” Adrien announced, shaking his head. “Your mom gave us all those pastries, remember?”

“And she’d kill me if I let you pay me back for them!”

With a slightly mischievous grin, Adrien sang, “What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her!”

Before Marinette could protest anymore, Adrien had already handed over the money for the paper lantern and she sighed, letting her purse fall back to her side. If it made him happy to buy the lantern, then she’d let him get away with it.

“If you’ve bought a lantern, they’re setting them out down by the Seine,” a woman told them from the next lantern stall, smiling at them. “I think they’ve got someone waiting to photograph them when they go past the Eiffel Tower, too. Why don’t you guys head down that way and check it out?”

“Thank you!” Adrien was practically beaming by now, and he reached for Marinette’s hand. “Come on, Marinette, let’s go!”

Laughing, Marinette called, “Adrien, slow down!” but allowed herself to be pulled toward the riverbank.

It had taken the pair a little while to find an empty bench by the Seine that wasn’t being crowded by the many family and friends gathered to release lanterns. Already a few of the water lanterns were drifting out towards the middle of the river. 

Releasing their lantern the two sat side by side on the bench overlooking over Seine, watching as the lantern floated off. They tracked it with their eyes as it bobbed on the water surface before drifting off with the other lanterns that had been released. As the lantern floated among its peers and was lost to the crowd of lanterns making their way down the Seine and towards the Eiffel tower the two turned to smile at each other. Feeling content, the pair stayed silent and watched the dance of the lanterns.

“Happy Lunar New Year, Adrien.”

“Happy Lunar New Year.”


End file.
